A sintered body that contains zirconia as a main component and that has translucency (hereinafter, also referred to as “translucent zirconia sintered body”) has superior mechanical properties compared to those of glass and alumina. Because of this, translucent zirconia sintered bodies have been investigated as materials for application purposes requiring mechanical properties as well as optical properties.
For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a translucent zirconia sintered body as a material suitable for a dental material, an exterior member, and the like. This translucent zirconia sintered body is a zirconia sintered body containing 3 mol % of yttria.
Patent Document 2 discloses a translucent zirconia sintered body as a material suitable for a dental material, especially an orthodontic bracket. This translucent zirconia sintered body is a zirconia sintered body containing 8 mol % of yttria.
Patent Document 3 discloses a zirconia sintered body as a material suitable for a dental material, especially an artificial tooth and a mill blank for obtaining an artificial tooth. This zirconia sintered body is a zirconia sintered body containing yttria and titania.